96 ANNIE BESANT

that is, gatherings of learned Sanskrit pandits276, were
common. At these Sabhas, pandits would discuss various
knotty points. Sanskrit pandits unfortunately, as a general
rule, though very learned, are not very cultured in the
graces of social intercourse; they invariably raise their
voices very high and discuss little problems of grammar or
logic with tremendous vigour. The person who invites a
Sabha gives as a parting gift to each of these men of
learning, presents of cash and sweets and even shawls277 if
he is rich enough, as honoraria. These Sabhas were common
in my family in the old days ; both my uncle and my father
have always been great admirers of Sanskrit and friends of
men learned in the ancient lore. My father is a profound
scholar of Sanskrit himself, and my uncle, though not so
learned in the inside of books, was much more familiar, and
of very many more, than my father with their outside. He
had a vast store of information about rare Sanskrit manu-
scripts, and at his desire I had to copy out a whole rare
Smriti278 from the India Office in London, borrowed for me
by my University authorities when I was a student at
Cambridge, and sent it to him.

I remember one of these Sabhas at our ancestral house in
the heart of Benares, to which the family invariably moved in
the old days whenever there was any marriage or other
important ceremonial was to be performed. There was a
great gathering of learned Pandits of the time, and I re-
member Mahamahopadhyaya Pandit Gangadhar Sha^tri279, a
tall slim figure, holding his own in a vigorous discussion
which I could not follow. Mrs. Besant was present
and was attending to the talk most earnestly. Pandit